


Until Death Do Us Part

by Salem_Black



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Blood and Gore, Established Relationship, Implied Huttlux, M/M, MolSeb, Molossia x Seborga
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:53:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23986363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Salem_Black/pseuds/Salem_Black
Summary: Husbands Romeo and Maverick Jones-Vargas are forced to evacuate their home in Winnemucca, Nevada when an outbreak of a mysterious virus infects the population. When they become separated in the crowd, Romeo is taken onto a train out of state and the two are ripped away from each other. Romeo leaps through hoops and does all that he can in hopes of returning to his lost lover in Winnemucca, even if the man he comes home to is not the one he left.
Relationships: Australia/New Zealand (Hetalia), Hutt River/Luxembourg (Hetalia), Molossia/Seborga (Hetalia)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	1. The Departure

Golden sunlight filtered in through the blinds, casting a warm glow upon Romeo’s hair. His auburn locks flowed and glistened like flames in the early morning sun and his eyelids drooped. Tired, green eyes were downcast as he packed away only a small fraction of his clothing into a light blue suitcase. He was sitting in the lotus position on the floor, biting back the tears that threatened to flow down his cheeks.  


“Don’t worry, Ro,” came the deep, almost rumbling voice of Maverick, who crouched down and placed a rough, calloused hand upon the Italian’s shoulder. Romeo’s eyes flickered over to rest on the golden band on Maverick’s ring finger. His husband was a man of few words, but whatever he did say put Romeo at peace.  


Romeo shifted around on the rug to pull Maverick into a tight hug. “Mavie, Why do we have to go?” He whimpered softly, “We can’t just abandon our house like this!”  


The way Romeo’s eyes sparkled with tears and the quiver in his voice pierced Maverick’s heart like a thousand blades. He held Romeo closer, tighter, squeezing him gently as if that would solve anything. “You know why.” He grumbled softly, “It’s not safe here.”  


“But we bought this house together!” Romeo cried, his slim frame shaking in Maverick’s arms as he gave in and sobbed.  


“No, Ro, c’mon, baby, don’t cry. Don’t cry. We’ll get a new house. It’ll be better than this one.” The American gently pushed Romeo away. He cupped Romeo’s tan, freckled cheeks in his hands and brushed the tears away with his thumbs. “Y’know I can’t stand it when you cry, it makes me-”  


“I know, I know, it makes you want to cry too, you big softie.” Romeo rolled his eyes and managed a smile, but behind that smile Maverick could tell Romeo was still languishing. Romeo pulled out of Maverick’s arms and stood up, his appearance causing Maverick’s breath to hitch.  


The rising sun’s light basked Romeo in a heavenly aura. The way his olive complexion and wild, unkempt hair dazzled in the glow like diamonds never ceased to amaze him. For most of his life, Maverick could’ve slept until noon. However, if this wasn’t a reason to wake up in the morning, he didn’t know what was.  


Romeo zipped up his suitcase and sighed, looking around their bedroom for one last time. “I think I’m going to think about this place a lot,” he commented after a moment of silence.  


Maverick scoffed softly. Romeo never could stand the silence. There always had to be something going on for him. If it was silent in a room, Romeo decided it was his duty to make sure it immediately became loud and bubbly again. Music was always a common occurrence in the Jones-Vargas household, and for once Maverick found himself missing the sound of whatever pop station Romeo had decided to turn the radio on to that day. It seemed that all good things had to come to an end, and today was that day.  


Together, the two men went downstairs and exited their home, hand in hand. Each of them carried their own suitcase, and they stood in the yard for a moment to say their final goodbyes to the house that hadn’t even served them for two years. The hot Nevada sun beat down on them and Maverick could no longer tell if it was sweat or tears dripping down his face. Romeo was unusually quiet, and the air around them was stiff and suffocating. It felt like a funeral.  


“I can’t believe it. I just moved to Winnemucca it seems like. Then I met you and everything was going so great! Like a fairytale!” Lamented Romeo as Maverick tossed their suitcases into the trunk of their car.  


“We’ll make a new fairytale, Ro, I promise,” grunted Maverick, walking over to lean up just enough and plant a kiss on Romeo’s soft, plump lips. “Remember what my brother always told me?”  


“Um... it isn’t a crime if you don’t get caught?” Romeo guessed, shrugging his shoulders a little bit.  


Maverick snorted. “No, dumbass,” he said, rolling his eyes, “He told me that there’s always tomorrow. When tomorrow comes, we’ll have a new life away from this hell hole. A life where you’re safe and I don’t have to worry about some damn virus coming to fuck up our lives.”  


Romeo blinked. “He said all of that? That’s really funny, you know, considering there’s this weird- like- rabies outbreak kind of thing going on now.” Commented the taller man as he got into the passenger’s seat.  


“No, Ro, he just told me the shit about tomorrow. I added the other stuff.”  


“Oh- Oh!”  


Romeo’s reaction got a slight chuckle out of Maverick as he sat in the driver’s seat and started up the engine. “You’re such an idiot, I love you.”  


The Italian man rested his head on his arms on the console of the car, gazing up at Maverick lovingly. “I love you more, Mavie. I still wish we could stay here though.”  


As the car pulled out of the driveway and started to head down the road, Maverick heaved out a sigh. “I know, baby, me too.” He put his sunglasses on and kept his eyes on the road.  


Not long after they had left their street they were stuck in the biggest traffic jam either one of them had seen. Romeo sat up abruptly. “Are all of these people evacuating, too?” He asked with wide eyes, gazing at all of the cars in the blistering sun.  


“Yeah, it was a government order. They’re tryin’ t’get as many people outta Winnemucca as possible.” He scoffed, “And here I thought zombies were just some of tha’ horror movie shit. Goddamn, the bastards actually did it.”  


Romeo furrowed his brows. “What do you mean by that?” He asked. “Didn’t they say it was just a mutated strain of rabies?”  


“You really believe that shit the government feeds you?” Maverick asked, quirking a brow way up over his glasses. “That kinda stuff don’t just happen on its own, Ro. I mean, think about it, that shit’s gotta be man-made. For it to spread this fast and just be some kinda mutated thing or whatever of rabies? I don’t believe that for one damn minute.” He scoffed.  


“Why would somebody make something so awful?!” Cried Romeo, “I’ve seen pictures of it on the news! They- they look- they look dead!”  


“They are dead, baby. After that virus gets itself into their system and makes its way to the brain they aren’t human anymore. That’s why we gotta get outta here before one of us gets hurt.” He reached over and held Romeo’s hand in his own. He felt his husband shaking.  


After what felt like years, they had made it to the Winnemucca train station. The crowd was immense and it looked like a tidal wave of people flooded over the area. Panicked chattering filled the air and Romeo decided that even silence was better than this. He and Maverick left their car and Maverick removed their suitcases from the trunk.  


“I’ve never been on a train before,” chirped Romeo, trying to at least find something to be excited about. He took the handle of his suitcase and looked out at the crowd, using his hand to shield his eyes from the sunlight. “Wow!” He whistled, “That’s a lotta people.”  


Maverick nodded slowly, but said nothing as he walked with Romeo into the crowd. Immediately, Romeo felt as if he couldn’t breathe. As long as he had Maverick at his side, though, he could brave through anything. Romeo was pushed, shoved, and thrown around every which way as people rushed to board the train. The only time he got a fresh breath of air was the brief moment as he was being shoved into a tightly packed train car. Everyone was standing up. Only pregnant women and the elderly had a seat.  


Romeo sighed heavily and looked around, expecting to see his husband beside him. The train was so full, and he was squished between so many people that it occurred to him they may have somehow gotten separated. “Maverick?” he called out his name, trying to break through the chatter, “Maverick where are you?”  


Romeo waded through the crowd, stepping over and on other people in search of his husband. There were still so many people outside, and they all seemed angry. When he neared the door to the train car, what he heard made his heart sink.  


“I’m sorry. The train is full. We cannot let anyone else on at this moment, you will have to catch the next one out of the state.” They were just going to leave all of these people here? The thought filled Romeo with sadness, but anguish claimed his heart as he saw something that plagued his mind. Maverick was still in the crowd outside of that train, and the doors closed just as their eyes met. The two of them shared a look of horror before being closed off from each other. There was no second train.


	2. New Faces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While on the train leaving Winnemucca, Romeo meets a friendly evacuee from California in a similar situation.

The wheels on the train screamed as they began to turn. Romeo watched in dismay as Winnemucca got smaller and smaller as the distance grew between that town and the train. Maverick’s look of horror was burned into his mind and the Italian’s body felt numb. He couldn’t breathe. He was drowning, sinking slowly into a pool of people. The only thing he could hear was the buzz of chatter on the cramped train, his mind too muddled to process the words.

As the train raced along the railroad tracks, Romeo’s head began to spin. Everything was going too fast. He was dizzy. He couldn’t see, couldn’t hear, couldn’t breathe. He felt like he was going to be sick. All of a sudden, his knees buckled and he felt his head hit something hard, but the pain that should have been there never arrived. When Romeo opened his eyes, he felt weak and exhausted. He stared up at the ceiling and realized he could still hear the whistling of the wheels carrying him away from Winnemucca. He sat up and winced, holding his head. It felt like it was pounding and throbbing as if he could feel the rush of blood in his brain and ringing in his ears. He turned his head when he heard a loud gasp.  
  
“Crikey! You’re okay! I totally thought you were dead!” Came an obnoxiously loud, posh voice. Beside the seat Romeo had apparently been laying on, a tall, handsome man stood gaping at him. He was around six feet tall, maybe a little bit shorter. He had wavy golden blonde hair and a crooked nose that was dusted with freckles. His eyes were a deep, olive green color that stood out against his tan skin.  
  
Romeo stared at the new stranger for a moment, still holding his head as if that would ebb the pain. He furrowed his brows. “What? What’s going on?” He asked, confused. A few others on the train were looking at Romeo with concern.  
  
“You fainted!” exclaimed the man, “I was looking over at you and all of a sudden you just,” he whistled for dramatic effect, “went down. Like a bloody bowling pin. I’m Oscar, by the way. What’s your name?”  
  
Romeo giggled softly, but the humor of the moment didn’t really do anything to ease the physical and emotional pain he was feeling. “It’s Romeo. You can call me Ro if you want.” Romeo tried to stand up, but his legs felt like jello and he fell right back down onto the seat. He felt bad taking a seat up so he scooted over, only for Oscar to drop down beside him.  
  
“Romeo, huh? Like that twink from the Shakespeare play? You know, in my very humble opinion, Mercutio and Tybalt were pretty gay-” Oscar rambled until Romeo interrupted him with a light, airy laugh.  
  
“Yes. Like that twink from the Shakespeare play. Um… thank you.” Romeo blushed with embarrassment. “I don’t know why I fell. That was- that was stupid. I didn’t mean to bother anyone like this.”  
  
“Whoa, hey, Ro, don’t be so hard on yourself like that. I used to faint all the time!” He patted Romeo’s back a little bit too hard and it was almost in the ballpark of a slap. Romeo doubled over and Oscar just sat back and fluffed his hair. Once he was done, he went right on talking without pausing to explain anything. “Golly, this sure feels like some kinda bizarre fever dream, dontcha think? I mean- _zombies_ , right? Ugh, Nevada is so different from California.” Oscar sighed heavily and gazed out the window longingly. “I miss the beach.”  
  
“California? What were you doing in Winnemucca?” Romeo asked, tilting his head to the side.  
  
“Well, I’m an evacuee. The whole virus thing kind of swept through the homeless population in LA and then all of the stray animals and stuff.” He glanced over at Romeo before looking down at his lap with a heavy sigh. “It’s… it’s awful, Ro. You can see how they just claw and bite and rip everything out…” Oscar shivered and looked a bit distant, surely reliving what must have been an awful thing to witness.  
  
Romeo felt his heart drop into the depths of his stomach. He swallowed thickly and his hands began to sweat. Is that what was going to happen to Maverick? The thought of his husband suffering such a terrible fate made Romeo’s bottom lip quiver. He sniffled softly and wiped at his eyes.  
  
“Whoa, hey, are you cryin’?” Asked Oscar, gently wrapping his arm around Romeo to comfort him. “What’s the matter? I wasn’t tryin’ to scare you, honest.”  
  
Romeo whimpered, trying to bite back his tears. “No, no, I know that it’s just… my- my husband-” he was interrupted by a few sniffles, “I abandoned him. I’m such an awful spouse and I’m sure he hates me!”  
  
Oscar furrowed his dark, thick brows. “Ro, I’m sure that’s not what happened. You don’t seem like a big enough asshole to do somethin’ like that. C’mere.” Oscar rummaged around in his bag and pulled out a small napkin, giving it to Romeo to wipe his face.  
  
The shorter man nodded his thanks as he wiped at his eyes and his nose. “We left our house this morning. We were both supposed to get on the train and then I got lost in the crowd and loaded on without him by accident. Then… the train filled up and I guess they couldn’t let anyone else on. I saw him as the train was leaving. I abandoned him!”  
  
For a moment, Oscar looked like he didn’t know what to say. The heat from the sun outside warmed the train car and they were both sweating, but neither one of them was about to complain about the heat due to the current circumstances. Hesitantly, his lips parted. “It wasn’t your fault. In LA, the crowd was insane. I thought I was going to get trampled. Anyway, it was just an accident. An awful, awful accident. I’m sure your husband still loves you very much.”  
  
Romeo looked down at his wedding band and nodded slowly. He felt so alone, remembering how well Maverick’s fingers slipped in between his own when they held hands. “So, why do I feel so horrible, Oscar?”  
  
Oscar frowned and thought for a moment. “Well,” he said, “probably because you aren’t with him. You don’t know where he is or what he’s doing. I can see how that would feel awful, especially when it’s not even safe to leave the house without a gun anymore. I mean, I’m single, but I think I can understand how you feel. I feel that way about my brother and sister right now.”  
  
“Where are they?” inquired Romeo with curiosity.  
  
“My older brother, Kyle, he uh- he and my baby sister Wendy got loaded onto another train car, I think. I’m not exactly sure which one.”  
  
“Oh, well, at least they’re here,” Romeo grumbled sourly.  
  
Oscar frowned. He felt like he had just made everything worse. “You know, you’re not alone. You and I are friends now, okay? We can get through this if we stick together. I promise I’ll help you get back to Winnemucca and see if we can find your husband, deal?” He held out his hand.  
  
Immediately, Romeo’s emerald eyes lit up and dazzled like the gemstones they so strongly resembled. He grabbed Oscar’s hand and gave it a firm shake. “Deal.”


	3. Terminus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oscar and Romeo end up in Atlanta, Georgia where they meet Oscar's family and a strange landlord.

In the days that followed their meeting, Romeo and Oscar grew close as they continued on their journey east. They shared their stories, both good and bad. The trauma they were facing head-on together bound them like a strong glue, and Romeo was sure that this friendship would be life-long. After being separated from someone he loved more than anything else in the world, Oscar kept him sane, optimistic, and on his feet.

The train rides were exhausting. Men, women and children were pressed together in the train cars so tightly that Romeo could hardly breathe. In the few days they were on the trains, going across the country and farther away from home, Romeo learned a few things. He learned how to sleep standing up, survive on a near empty stomach, and to stay close to Oscar no matter what. Even when asleep, he always held his hand tightly, too scared to lose him.

After what felt like years of traveling, being squeezed in between so many people the air he breathed felt hot, Romeo and Oscar found themselves on the other side of the country. Hand-in-hand, the two men stumbled out of the train car, dazed and feeling hopeless.

When they left the packed train, fresh air washed over Romeo like a tidal wave. He breathed in deeply and a smile graced his features. “I can breathe!” He exclaimed, spinning around to look at Oscar.   


Oscar had a grin on his face and he rolled his eyes a bit, pulling Romeo into a tight hug. The two men bounced up and down with excitement at their newfound freedom. Oscar pulled away and held his new friend at arms’ length. “Hey, Ro, y’know I told you my family was on this train, right? Y’think we can go find them in this crowd?”   


Romeo blinked. He had completely forgotten about that. “Sure!” He chirped, humming and clinging on to Oscar’s arm as they walked. He saw Oscar scan the crowd for a moment before he stopped abruptly. All of a sudden, they were running. Oscar threw himself into the arms of a big, burly man with dark hair and tan skin.   


“Kyle!” Exclaimed Oscar, gasping and laughing as his older brother spun him around in the air before hugging him close to his chest. “Kyle- Kyle- can’t breathe-” He slapped weakly at his brother’s arms.   


Kyle laughed a deep, hearty laugh that rumbled in his chest as he ruffled Oscar’s hair, who screeched that he was messing it all up. “Hey, little brother! Long time no see, I was startin’ to think those zombies got ya.” He snickered and set him down.   


Oscar scoffed and fluffed his hair. “Stupid, I just got loaded onto a different train car by accident. Hey, where’s Wendy and Kauri?” He asked, craning his neck and standing up on the tips of his toes to see over the crowd. He waved and called out their names.   


As if on cue, a man emerged, holding a young-looking girl’s hand. 

Romeo was moved to tears as he watched the small group hug each other. The reunion reminded him of Maverick, the man he had left behind. Would they ever have this moment? Would they ever see each other again and fall into each other’s embrace like this? He was roused from his thoughts by Oscar’s cheerful voice.   


“Hey, Ro! This is my family. That’s my big brother, Kyle. He’s a stupid lumbering oaf. That’s Wendy. She’s my totally cute little sister, but also kind of a cunt.”   


Suddenly, Oscar doubled over in pain when Wendy kneed him right in the crotch. “Ow- fuck!”   


“Don’t call me that, dickhead,” She said with a huff, crossing her arms. 

Romeo was honestly more appalled than anything to see a little girl talk like that. He just stood there looking bewildered. He looked over at Kyle, who was laughing pretty loudly. “You let a little girl talk that way?” Before Kyle could respond, Romeo got kicked, too.   
“I don’t know who you are, but I am not a little girl, asshole.”   


Romeo just stood there, doubled over in pain while Kyle laughed even harder. “Mate- she’s eighteen.”   


Romeo blinked. “What-” he looked up abruptly, “but she’s so sh-”   


“If you even think about finishing that sentence I’ll kick you again.”   


Romeo just nodded vigorously before holding out his hand to whoever wanted to shake first. “My name is Romeo. I met Oscar on the train- he um- wanted me to meet you all.” 

Instead of a handshake, Kyle just yanked Romeo into the same constricting hug he’d given Oscar. Wendy rolled her eyes as Romeo squirmed and struggled in his grasp. 

Oscar snorted. “He’s very affectionate. You get used to it.”

Kauri finally spoke up. “Kyle, put him down. You’re going to squeeze him to death.”

Romeo gasped when he was finally set free from Kyle’s boa constrictor hug. He looked over at Kauri. “Thanks.”   


“Oh,” Oscar spoke up. “Kauri is Kyle’s boyfriend. He started living with us a couple of years ago so now he’s basically family.” 

“He’s my precious little kiwi!” Kyle yelled with a grin, putting Kauri in a headlock and ruffling his hair. “Plus, Oscar was a total bitch and wouldn’t let me bring my baby with me on the train so this was the second best thing.”   


“Baby?!” Exclaimed Romeo, “You have a kid?!”   


“No I have a snake.” Kyle laughed his loud, obnoxious laugh. “I did set her free in the backyard though.”   


“Excuse me,” Oscar put his hands on his hips, “You did what with a nearly ten foot snake?”   


“Relax, Ozzie, it’s not like she’s gonna hurt anybody. Well- anybody that’s actually alive anyway. I just thought she’d maybe like to be free.”   


“I honestly can’t with you,” Oscar groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose and shaking his head. 

“Okay, okay, shut up, all of you,” Wendy piped up. “What happened in California doesn’t matter anymore. We’re all the way across the fucking country. What we should be talking about is where the hell we’re going next. Look around. You really think any of the homeless shelters will have room for all of these people? We have to find somewhere to go.”

Oscar sighed. “Wendy’s right,” he said, though it looked like it pained him to admit she actually had a valid point. “Look at all of these people here. Now think about how many others have come before us. There’s no way we’re going to be able to find someplace to stay. I mean, not unless we know somebody who lives here already, which we don’t.”   


Everyone looked over at Romeo, who just shook his head. 

“Well,” Kyle thought for a moment, “I guess we’ll just have to find somewhere to set up camp. If we all pool our money together we should be able to afford food and water for a while.”   


“What about Romeo?” Asked Oscar. “He doesn’t have anybody else. He got separated from his husband in Nevada and since then I’ve been his only friend. We have to take him with us. Please, Kyle?” 

Kyle looked over at Romeo, who was staring down at his feet sheepishly. “Oh, shit. Yeah, of course he can come.”   


Romeo gasped softly and hugged Kyle tightly. “Thank you!” 

The group set off together in search of somewhere to stay. Romeo kept his eyes downcast as he walked, afraid to meet people’s eyes. So many were begging for money and food — things Romeo didn’t have to give. It made him feel awful and he just leaned on Oscar for support, who wrapped an arm around his shoulders.   


“Don’t worry, Ro!” Oscar chimed, “It’ll all be okay. Once they completely close off the borders to those other states that’ve been overrun with the undead and all that, it’ll be safe here for sure!” Oscar winked and patted him on the shoulder.   


“You think they’ll do that?” Romeo furrowed his brows.   


“Well- yeah! I mean, that way nobody can get infected and no more of those… things... can get out.”   


“But what about people that are going to be trapped there? What about Maverick?!”   


Immediately, Oscar quieted down and just rubbed Romeo’s arm in an attempt to soothe him. “He sounds like a strong man, from what you’ve told me, at least. I’m sure he’ll be just fine.” 

“Are you kidding me?” snapped Romeo, “He’s probably terrified! He’s all by himself without me!”

Kyle, Wendy, and Kauri had fallen silent. There was nothing to say, but they all felt horrible for Romeo. Kyle thought about what a wreck he would be without Kauri, and he couldn’t imagine what it would be like for a man who had been ripped away from his husband. Kyle felt Kauri’s arm brush against his own as he moved to walk beside him.

After what felt like hours, the group had finally found a spot to set up camp. Cars honked and rushed by as they all sat down on a sidewalk underneath a bridge. Wendy sat cross-legged, watching the cars pass by them. “I don’t know how you expect us to sleep here, Kyle.” She grumbled.   


Kyle sat down beside her. “I know it’s kind of shit, but we’ll find a better place to stay soon. At least it’s dry.” 

For the next few days, Romeo’s home was that spot underneath the bridge. He had gotten to know Oscar’s family and started to consider them some of his closest friends. Kyle lightened the mood a little bit by telling jokes and stories, which quickly became the highlight of everyone’s day. One night, though, Oscar and Romeo had laid awake together.   


“I don’t think I can take it any longer,” mumbled Oscar softly, rolling over onto his side to stare at Romeo. “I hate it here. We don’t deserve to live like this. I- I _ need _ to find a real place to live, this is killing me.”   


Romeo whimpered softly. “You’re leaving?” He whined.   


“No, _ we’re _ leaving. I’m taking you with me. After all this shit we’ve been through together, it wouldn’t be right for us to be apart. You’re like, my best friend, Ro. I want you to come with me tomorrow.”   


Romeo’s lips quirked up and he nodded a bit. “Yeah, okay.”   


The next morning, Romeo and Oscar waited until everyone had woken up. Oscar looked over at the three they would be leaving behind. He had not a single doubt in his mind, though, that they would be okay. Once they found a place to live, they would help get Kyle, Wendy, and Kauri all back on their feet and things would be okay again. Things would finally be normal.   


“Romeo and I are leaving.”   


At that phrase, everyone turned their heads to look at Oscar.   


“What?” Kyle asked as if he hadn’t heard him correctly.   


“We can’t live like animals any longer. Romeo and I are going to find a place to live. When we do, you all can come stay with us until you’re back on your feet. I’ve had enough of this disgusting sidewalk and not being able to properly wash and condition my hair. Come on, Ro, let’s go.”   


With that, and goodbyes that involved many big hugs from Kyle, Romeo and Oscar left. For the first time, Romeo was actually able to take in the beautiful cityscape. Even in the daytime, it seemed to sparkle. There were a billion lights shining like stars on buildings, billboards, and even the tall, concrete bridges like the one Romeo had slept under for the past week. It was a bustling city full of people milling about on the streets and ducking into shops.   


“Uh, Earth to Romeo!” Oscar flicked him on the forehead. “We’re house hunting, remember?”   


“Oh, right, sorry!” He giggled, “I must just be kind of out of it. Hey, look! A coffee shop!” he pointed excitedly. “Please, Oscar, let’s go get coffee,” he whined like a little kid.   


Oscar rolled his eyes and smiled, taking him by the hand. The two of them hadn’t had coffee in so long, it’d be a nice treat. A little bell jingled as they walked into the coffee shop. They got a few looks and Oscar knew that meant they must look like hell. A mounted television on the wall was set to the news channel and Oscar watched it as they waited in line. It seemed the virus was spreading and the government was actually making measures to close off travel to states such as California, Nevada, and even some of the states that didn’t have any cases yet at all.   


The two men made it to the front of the line and they ordered their drinks. They paid and took a seat at one of the tables. It felt so nice to be somewhere warm, clean, and safe. The coffee warmed Romeo from the inside out and he let out a happy sigh.   


“Okay, so, house hunting.”   


“Oh, yeah right,” Romeo frowned as he was once again pulled back into reality.   


“We don’t have that much cash, so you know that means we have to get somewhere cheap. We also have to get a job seriously soon if we want to be able to pay the rent.”   


Romeo bit his lip. He didn’t really have that many skills. Atlanta had quite a few restaurants and he had worked in food service for a year or two but he wasn’t exactly sure it would be enough. “That’s true…”   


Before they could continue their conversation, a man’s voice interrupted. “Would you mind if I sat here?”   


Oscar looked up and felt his heart begin to palpitate. A wealthy-looking man stood there, coffee in hand. He had a sharp jawline and slender, green eyes. His hair was a light blonde color and he was dressed to the nines in designer clothes. He wore a bit of an unusual hairstyle. One side of his hair was combed over so it fell to cover his right eye.   


“Go right ahead!” he said quickly, patting the table as an invitation.   


The man smiled and sat down, taking a sip of his coffee. “My name is Eliot Anderssen. Here’s my business card.” He fished a little card out of his pocket and handed it to Oscar. He gave another one to Romeo. “Forgive me for eavesdropping, but I couldn’t help but hear that you might be interested in renting a place to stay?”   


Oscar read over the business card and nodded.   


“Oh, wonderful!” Said Eliot with a charming smile. “I happen to have an apartment you two might enjoy. It’s a bit of a fixer-upper, so I’ll rent it to you for a cheaper price on the assumption you’ll fix it up.”   


“Wow,” said Romeo softly, “This is- this is really great, but- we don’t have any money. We’re evacuees from California and Nevada.”   


Eliot thought for a second. “Well, I’ll give you the first month free of charge. How does that sound?”   


Romeo felt happy tears in the corner of his eyes and he looked over at Oscar, who looked absolutely dumbfounded. “That sounds great,” they said in unison. 


	4. Reminiscing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Old memories surface when Romeo has coffee with Oscar and Eliot

Things had started to change for the better since Oscar and Romeo had met Eliot. They had a roof over their heads, ample time to pay their rent, and new jobs. After about a week of living in the small three-bedroom apartment, Romeo had gotten a job as a waiter, and Oscar became a hairdresser. The young Australian man had a degree in cosmetology and was continuing his career from where he had left off in L.A.   


Kyle, Wendy, and Kauri had also been sharing the apartment with Romeo and Oscar while they attempted to get back on their feet. Kyle had secured a job and Wendy was still job hunting. Kauri spent most of his time aiding in the renovations to the apartment. 

When they had first arrived, the place was a wreck. Little by little, with every free hour they had, the group worked on renovating the apartment and turning it into a home. Before the first month had passed, Kyle, Wendy, and Kauri had enough money to leave Oscar and Romeo and find a place of their own. Atlanta had become a safe haven. It was a place of strange normalcy that Romeo had craved for so long. However, he couldn’t help but feel empty. A house wasn’t a home without Maverick.   


On the last day of the second month, Romeo heard a knock at the door. He stood up from where he had been lounging on the sofa and opened the door to see his landlord. 

“Eliot!” he gasped, “Hi!”   


Upon hearing the man’s name, Oscar dashed out of the bathroom, forgetting the curlers that were still in his hair.   


“Oscar- your hair!”   


Oscar suddenly remembered and shrieked. “Don’t look!” He screamed before running back into the bathroom and slamming the door. Romeo burst into a fit of giggles and Eliot’s eyes sparkled with mirth. 

“Wow, Romeo, this is absolutely superb,” said Eliot, awestruck. He peered into the apartment’s small living room and smiled. “You did a wonderful job, darling. Everything looks so new!”   


Romeo chuckled awkwardly. “Yeah, well, don’t just thank me. Oscar and his family helped a lot. Would you like to come in?”   


“Ah, I really shouldn’t. I just wanted to see if you had this month’s rent-”   


Eliot tensed up when Romeo hugged him tightly around the middle. He stared down at the shorter man, whose ginger curls were bouncing up and down. 

“Oh, Eliot! Please stay! I’ll put on coffee and we can chat! You deserve it for being such a good landlord.”   


Eliot smiled awkwardly as he pried the Italian off of him. “Oh, well, if it’s all right with Oscar I suppose a few minutes couldn’t hurt terribly.”   


Romeo grinned from ear to ear and grabbed Eliot’s gloved hand, pulling him into the living room and sitting him down on the couch. “Gonna go make cof-fee gonna go make cof-fee~” He sang as he skipped into the kitchen. Eliot couldn’t help but think that Romeo couldn’t possibly use any caffeine when he was already bouncing off the walls. 

After a few moments had passed, Oscar emerged from the bathroom once again. This time, he was perfectly presentable. He saw Eliot and smiled, walking over to sit next to him on the sofa. “Thank you, Eliot. For- you know…” He laughed softly and glanced over at him shyly, “Everything. You’re a true friend. I can’t thank you enough, really.”

Eliot brushed a strand of blonde hair behind his ear at the praise and he felt his cheeks redden. “I wouldn’t let someone who needed help starve on the street. It wouldn’t be right.”

Oscar crossed his legs and rested his hands on his knee. “You’re a uh- a real swell guy!”   


Eliot laughed softly, “Swell?”   


“Yes. Swell.” 

Oscar felt like he could tell Eliot anything. It felt so natural to be sitting there, chatting like old friends. Oscar told Eliot the full story about how he had ended up in Atlanta, the smell of coffee wafting around the room.   


Romeo walked into the living room holding a tray of three coffee cups, sugar, and cream. “Oh, hi, Ozzie! I told Eliot I’d put on coffee so we can stay and talk for a little while.” Romeo set the tray down on the coffee table carefully. For someone so hyper, he had surprisingly gentle hands. Not a single drop of coffee left any of the cups.   


Each man grabbed a cup and Eliot thanked Romeo as he poured some cream into his coffee. Just as expected, Romeo shoveled sugar into his own. Eliot couldn’t fathom how he hadn’t had a heart attack or something yet. 

“So, ah, Oscar was telling me about California,” Eliot said after a moment, “You’re from Nevada, right, Romeo?”   


Romeo nodded, his curly hair bouncing up and down. “Yes, that’s right! I actually met Oscar on the train ride here! Now we’re best friends forever and ever!”   


Oscar snorted softly, taking another sip of coffee. “That’s right. Romeo and I actually found out that we have a lot in common. In a way, I think it was meant to be.”   


“Or divine intervention!” Chirped Romeo happily. “Gosh- Atlanta is sooo different from home. You wouldn’t believe.” He sighed heavily. “I just… can’t stop thinking about Maverick. I’m worried sick.” He looked down into his coffee. “Oscar told me he thought that they might start closing off the borders to the infected states after they evacuated everyone they could, and I saw on the news the other day that- well- it’s exactly what’s happening. What if I never see him again?” 

Eliot and Oscar shared a look of heartache for their friend. Oscar set his coffee down so he could go to rest his hand on Romeo’s shoulder. “Nothing lasts forever, Ro, I’m sure this’ll all blow over. Then, you can go see him.”   


Romeo closed his eyes and leaned into Oscar’s touch, his hands shaking a bit. “I want to see him now, though!”   


“I know you do, I know,” Oscar leaned down to press a soft kiss to the top of Romeo’s head. 

Romeo’s normally steady hands had started to shake and coffee spilled over onto his fingers. “Shit-” He cursed, catching both Oscar and Eliot by surprise. He hurriedly set his cup down and ran to the kitchen. Oscar heard the sink running as Romeo washed the cold water over his burnt hands.

“Is there anything I can do?” asked Eliot from where he sat on the sofa. “I feel awful just watching.”   


Oscar smiled reassuringly and shook his head. “No, don’t worry about it. Ro’s fine, he's just…” Oscar trailed off before sitting down beside Eliot again. He sighed softly and stared into the kitchen. “I don’t think he really can be helped. Unless there was some way to get him into Nevada, and safely, I can’t see any possible way to get him any kind of solace.” 

Eliot’s lips turned down in a slight frown. “Do you think the virus will make its way here?”   


“Here?” Asked Oscar, wide-eyed and appalled, “No! Of course it won’t. That’s silly,” he scoffed. “We’re all the way on the other side of the country. Have you seen how slow those things move? Not in a million years.” 

Abruptly, the water in the kitchen stopped. Romeo emerged from the doorway and took a seat across from Oscar and Eliot at the coffee table. “I’m sorry,” he apologized, “I didn’t mean to say that. It just really hurt.”   


“Ro! Don’t be sorry! I’m sure that hurt like hell! I probably would’ve said worse.” He laughed softly and Romeo’s gentle smile returned to his face, but sadness danced in his eyes like a ballerina on a dark stage. 

That night, darkness fell heavily over Atlanta. Even with all of the gorgeous city lights, Romeo didn’t feel as entranced by them as he had previously been. He pulled all of the curtains closed, wearing a long T-shirt and pajama pants. Oscar was in the bathroom getting ready to sleep and Romeo was turning off all of the lights. One by one, he flicked off the light switches. 

Now that Kauri, Kyle, and Wendy were gone, Oscar and Romeo each had their own bedroom. They didn’t have to share, but Romeo found himself collapsing on top of Oscar’s comforter. His room was the only one left with the light on and he heard his friend’s confused voice from the doorway. 

“Ro? What’re you doing?” grumbled Oscar, rubbing at his eyes and yawning. 

Romeo sat up, propping himself up on his hands. “Can I stay with you? Just for tonight. I don’t want to be alone.”   


“Oh, uh, okay.” Oscar flipped the lightswitch and then they were alone in the darkness. Oscar could only see the faint outline of Romeo’s body in the pitch-black room as he walked over to the bed and laid down. Oscar laid on his side with his back facing Romeo. He closed his eyes, but Romeo’s voice rang out in the silence.   


“I heard you talking to Eliot.”   


Oscar rolled over to face him. “Huh?”   


“When I burned my hand. I heard you talking to him while I was in the kitchen,” Romeo was interrupted by a yawn, “Do you really think I can’t be helped?”   


Oscar’s lips parted for a moment, but he couldn’t think of much else to say. He rolled back over, the covers shifting with his movements. “I think… you need to go to sleep. It’s late.” 

Romeo furrowed his brows but said nothing. He hugged his pillow and closed his eyes. Maybe this was all just an awful dream. When he opened his eyes, he’d be in his bed in Winnemucca. He’d bury his face in his pillow and smell Maverick’s cologne. He’d smell coffee and bacon and hear his husband’s gruff voice reprimanding him for sleeping too late. Romeo imagined how adorable Maverick looked whenever he leaned up to kiss him goodbye before they both left for work. Dear God, please let this nightmare be over. 


	5. Incubo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Romeo's reality begins to blur between two worlds.

The next morning, the air felt sweet. Romeo stirred in the bed, the blankets a mess. He heard the soft, low snores of the man next to him. He sat up and yawned, listening to the soft ticking of the clock on the wall as sunlight came in through the window and bathed him in golden light. Peace washed over him and he ran a hand through his auburn curls. He looked over at the man next to him, “Mgh- good morning, Oscar.”

“Oscar?” came a gruff, groggy voice, “Who the fuck is that?”

Romeo did a double-take, gasping loudly when he realized who was laying beside him. “Maverick!” he shouted in absolute relief and delight, throwing his arms around him. He hugged him close, tightly, squeezing his eyes shut. Maverick felt exactly the same as he always had. He was so warm and his cologne was just as Romeo had remembered it.

“Whoa, Ro- Can’t breathe,” grumbled the Italian’s grumpy husband. He gently pried himself from Romeo’s arms. “Really, though, who the hell is Oscar?”

“Oh- he’s- well… It’s a long story, Mavie. I just- I just had this awful dream and- and you were in it and then-” He suddenly burst into tears and rubbed pitifully at his eyes. 

Maverick’s eyes went wide with sudden concern and he wrapped his arms around Romeo, pulling him protectively to his chest. “Shh, hold on, baby. It’s alright. I’m here.” He gently stroked Romeo’s freckled arm with one large, calloused hand. Romeo sniffled and pressed his face into his husband’s chest, his cheek brushing against the dark, fluffy hair there.

Romeo had always struggled with night terrors, so it wasn’t unusual for him to have bad dreams. He allowed his eyes to close once more as Maverick’s touch calmed and entranced him. “I haven’t seen you for months,” he whispered, “It was so awful. I- I did awful things… I was so scared you would hate me.”

Maverick merely shook his head and pressed a soft kiss into Romeo’s hair. “I’m here now. I’ll keep you safe. Didn’t I tell you I was gonna protect you?” He brushed his thumb soothingly over Romeo’s shoulder, feeling the soft skin beneath his fingertips. Although he was shorter than Romeo, he couldn’t help but notice how tiny his husband looked at this moment. “How about this?” 

After a moment of sniffling, Romeo met his husband’s hazel eyes. He tilted his head to the side just slightly. 

“You stay here and get dressed,” instructed Maverick. “I’ll go put on some coffee, then we can talk about it, all right?” 

Romeo nodded slowly, but he continued to cling onto Maverick’s body as the other man got out of the bed. 

“Ro-” began the other man, but merely sighed when Romeo wrapped his bare body around his leg. He leaned down and untangled Romeo before picking him up like a bride with a soft grunt. He set him down on the bed. “I’m not goin’ anywhere, honest. I’ll see you in a minute.” 

With that, Romeo was left alone in his thoughts as he sat in his bedroom. He drank it all in. Had this really all been a bad dream? He looked out the window. They were still in their neighborhood in Winnemucca. It felt like he had been gone for so long, yet it could’ve only been hours. 

He paced around, looking at each object with fascination and running his hands over it. The entire room felt like a teddy bear, warm and comforting. He looked through the dresser and pulled on an outfit. The shirt belonged to Maverick, but wearing it made him feel safe and more connected to the man who had been so separated from him. He brushed his teeth and combed his hair before trotting down the stairs. 

In the kitchen, the most beautiful sight he had ever seen awaited him. Maverick was humming with the radio as he checked his phone and stood by the coffee pot. His silky black hair was down and he shook his head to get it out of his face. The kitchen smelled like coffee and Maverick only noticed Romeo was standing there when it had finished brewing and he looked up from his phone to get the coffee pot. His lips quirked up in a small smile as he poured them both a cup of coffee. 

Romeo found himself falling in love all over again as Maverick fixed his coffee just the way he liked it - cream and a ton of sugar. Their kitchen was small and simple, but for Romeo it was like living in the lap of luxury. He had grown up rich, but his large house had never felt as warm and cozy as this one did. He walked over to Maverick and leaned down to kiss him on the cheek, only for Maverick to turn his head and press their lips together.

Romeo felt heat rise to his cheeks. He hadn’t kissed his husband in so long, or so he thought, and it felt like the first time all over again. He took his coffee mug and sat down at their small kitchen table, gazing at the flowers in the vase that had come from Maverick’s garden in their backyard.

“So, you uh, still wanna talk about that dream? Or is it fading?” Maverick asked, “I still wanna know who this Oscar guy is. He sounds like a pretentious prick.”

Romeo laughed softly, taking a tiny sip of the coffee. He recoiled when it burned his tongue and he set it down. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget it. It- It was horrible,” he mumbled, looking over at Maverick- the man he saw only last night. It felt like so long. He recounted Maverick with all that had happened in his dream. From leaving him on the metro to meeting Oscar and Eliot in Atlanta, he could tell that Maverick thought it was just as bizarre as he did.

“Shit- uh- that sounds- that sounds awful.”

“Oh, Mavie! It was awful!” Romeo cried, still shaken up. “It- it felt so… _real_ . I was convinced you’d hate me for leaving you here all alone with those- those monsters! When I woke up this morning and you were in the bed I got so excited to see you!” 

Maverick’s lips quirked up. “C’mon now, baby, I’d never hate you, no matter what. It was just a nightmare. I won’t let anything get you.”

Their morning continued as normal. They had coffee and breakfast, listening to the radio and enjoying each other’s presence. All of a sudden, Romeo’s eyebrows shot up. “Hey, they’re playing our song.”

Maverick quirked a brow, looking up from where he was loading their dishes into the dishwasher. He walked over to the radio and turned the volume up, music filling the room. He scoffed and rolled his eyes, but Romeo could see the tiniest of smiles on his face. 

“Sugar, oh, honey honey~” Romeo sang, standing up and waltzing over to Maverick, wrapping his arms gently around his neck. He felt his heart melt as Maverick slid his arms around his waist. The two of them danced around the kitchen, swaying to the music and lost in each other’s eyes.

Maverick leaned up and pressed their lips together, his eyes fluttering closed. The music faded into a soft hum in the background and Romeo ran his hands through Maverick’s dark hair. Finally, though, Maverick pulled away.

“I gotta go to work,” he said, “I’ll see you tonight.” Maverick gave Romeo one last peck on the cheek before running a comb through his hair and pulling on his jacket. Romeo heaved out a dreamy sigh as Maverick left, watching him leave. He was in paradise.

When Maverick was gone, things felt _off_. It was far too quiet, even with the radio. Romeo didn’t have to leave for work until later, so he settled down on the sofa, wrapping his favorite blanket around his shoulders. He grabbed the remote and turned on the television, wrinkling his nose when a zombie movie was the first thing to come on screen. He immediately changed the channel.

As Romeo surfed through the channels, he couldn’t help but feel that something was wrong. He felt paranoid and jumped at every gust of wind that caused a tree’s branch to tap against the window. He eventually turned off the television and hid under the blanket, listening to the tapping sound. Something scraped against the window and he looked up, eyes wide with fear.

A figure was standing there hunched over. Flesh fell from the bones as it moved, its staggering walk unnatural. Romeo wanted to scream, but the sound caught in his throat as blood flowed in rivulets from the creature’s mouth.

He looked over his shoulder quickly, pulling the blanket tighter around his shoulders when he heard scratching and banging at his door, gargled screams echoing around him. With each passing moment, the noises got louder, more intense. The house was soon surrounded and the stench of rotting corpses caused Romeo to throw up on the floor. He held a hand over his mouth and nose, chest rising and falling rapidly with every breath.

He was frozen in place, unable to think. Creatures from his nightmares slammed their bodies against the front and back doors of the house, smearing blood against everything they touched. The scene was macabre and Romeo finally found it in him to scream. The sound seemed to shake his whole world, and his heart dropped into his stomach when he heard the backdoor open.

A horde of corpses clumsily stumbled into the house, blood, bones, and flesh dripping down onto the pristine kitchen floor. Romeo stood up abruptly from the sofa and made a dash for the stairs, racing up to the second floor. He could hear the rasped groans of the dead just beneath his feet as he ran to the bedroom, digging through the closet to where Maverick kept his gun.

Romeo’s entire body was shaking with the force of a thousand earthquakes, his mind was in a haze of despair and his heart was beating a mile a minute. When Romeo had the gun, he struggled with it. Maverick had never gotten around to actually teaching him how to shoot before, partially because he’d never believed either of them would ever have to use it, and partially because Maverick actually despised guns. It had been his brother’s idea for them to have a gun, though, so Maverick had caved. Maverick had always believed in peace instead of war, but now Romeo was wishing he had been some kind of ruthless mobster.

He sighed shakily as he cocked the gun. It was only a pistol, and he didn’t know if it would do any good against a horde of the undead, but he had to try. He wasn’t a baby, and Maverick wasn’t here to protect him. He placed his finger on the trigger and ran out into the hallway, gazing down the stairs with horror as mangled bodies slowly began to crawl upwards on all fours.

Gunshots rang out through the house and Romeo recoiled at the sheer volume. It was so much louder than in movies and it sent him stumbling backward with each shot. His aim was awful and every time one seemed to be shot down, it kept getting back up.

“Oh, God, oh God, please help me-” he prayed, tears streaming down his cheeks as he kept firing. That didn’t last long, though. He was all out of bullets and he was cornered at the top of the stairs. He kicked and shouted as hands grabbed at his legs. He cried out in pain when a pair of teeth sank into his flesh. Slowly, he was pulled down into the mass of rotting flesh. He was being eaten alive. As he struggled and protested, the world faded into black around him...

Romeo bolted upright, his scream echoing throughout the room. It took him a moment to realize where he was. “Fuck-” he whispered under his breath, panting softly. He was back in Atlanta, sitting in Oscar’s bed. What was even real anymore? It was all starting to blur together.

“Romeo? What the hell?” Groaned Oscar groggily as he sat up beside the other man. He rubbed his eyes, movements still slow from sleep. “Hell- you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Shut up, Oscar!” snapped Romeo. When he saw the man’s confused and hurt expression, he furrowed his brows and turned his head away. “I’m sorry, Oscar. I didn’t mean that. I just… had this god-awful dream. I was back in Winnemucca with- with Maverick.”

The blankets rustled as Oscar shifted his position in the bed. “And that’s bad because…?”

“Because- Because I…” Romeo squeezed his eyes shut, “It was all so perfect- and after he left for work these- these _things_ \- these _zombies_ got into the house. I tried shooting at them but they started eating me alive. It all felt so real.”

Romeo heard Oscar suck in a breath, and then felt his friend’s arms slide around him gently, pulling him close to his chest in a hug. “You’re safe, Ro-”

“Maverick isn’t!” he said sharply, voice raised, shoving Oscar off of him. Romeo hurriedly got out of the bed, stomping towards the doorway and looking over his shoulder at Oscar. “I think I need a drink. Go back to sleep.”

Romeo went to the kitchen, where he poured himself a glass of red wine. Just before bringing the glass to his lips, he stopped abruptly, gazing down into the liquid. It looked too much like blood. The thought of drinking it made him sick and he dumped the glass into the sink, washing it out with water. He glanced at the bottle, knowing Oscar would have his head if he poured it out. His brain was on autopilot, and he found himself not really caring as he turned the bottle upside down and watched the wine splatter down into the sink. When the bottle was empty, he threw it away. He rinsed out the sink, watching as the dark red liquid slowly faded away down the drain.

The rest of the night was spent on the couch.


	6. The Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new friend is added to Romeo's circle when he searches for a way to end his nightmares.

In the months Romeo had been away from Winnemucca, the virus had been spreading. Despite the many attempts to hold off the infection, it was no use. Left and right, more and more states seemed to be having cases. Doctors were still looking for a cure or a vaccine, but to no avail. It was spreading faster than they could confine it. 

As the days passed by, they seemed to go slower and slower. Each and every night was plagued with nightmares of being eaten alive or leaving on that train. Oscar had been upset that Romeo threw out the wine, but Romeo promised to buy more. Each day it became worse and worse, and Romeo’s dreams felt increasingly more real. It was all starting to blur together.

Eliot began to visit their apartment more frequently as well, and countless times Romeo had sat alone in another room, eavesdropping and listening in on his and Oscar’s hushed conversations.

“I’m worried about him...”   


“I know, but what can we do?”   


“I don’t know. He’s- It seems like he’s going crazy.”   


Romeo sighed heavily and slumped down to the floor, hiding his face in his arms. He was falling apart and he knew it. The only thing that kept him sane was the golden band on his finger and he always looked at it for comfort. 

Although he knew it was silly, his nightmares had convinced him to learn how to shoot a gun. After nearly two weeks of moping around the house, he decided that getting a change of scenery would be beneficial.

Oscar’s coffee cup nearly slipped out of his hands when Romeo told him. “You’re doing what now?”   


Romeo stood up from the sofa in the living room, smoothing out his shirt. “I saved up some money. I’m going to go take shooting lessons.”   


“That really doesn’t seem like you at all, Ro!” exclaimed Oscar, “What in the world brought this on?”   


Romeo laughed dryly and twirled a strand of hair around his finger. “Well, it’s silly, but in all of those nightmares I told you about, I can never manage to shoot the gun. So I’m learning. This guy named Ludwig said he’d teach me for cheap since he thinks everyone should know how!” Romeo said as he made his way over to the apartment door. 

Oscar shook his head and smiled awkwardly. “Golly, Ro, you sure are something else. Only crazy people would go spend money learning how to do something just because they can’t do it in their dreams.”   


Romeo turned around to face Oscar again, his emerald green eyes narrowed a bit. “According to you and Eliot, I totally fit the bill.”   


Oscar blinked. “Um- What?” he asked. 

“Crazy. I hear what you say about me. You think I don’t listen.”   


“Romeo- I-” before Oscar could finish, Romeo left, slamming the door behind him. 

Romeo learned quickly that Ludwig was a nice man. When they had first met each other, he was so intimidated he was quaking on the spot. Ludwig was a big, burly man with a gruff voice, a harsh German accent. He was also very militaristic. His blonde hair was combed back so perfectly it seemed almost as if every strand of hair on his head was standing in line like a little army of tiny soldiers. Despite his rather scary appearance, Ludwig was a kind-hearted and gentle man. He always wanted to help Romeo and celebrated his successes with him, even if it was only a silent nod and the tiniest of smiles. In a way, he reminded Romeo of Maverick. They were both men of few words.

Shooting a gun for the first time was daunting. It was nothing like what he had imagined. It was different from both movies and his dreams. He watched attentively as Ludwig showed him how to hold and fire the gun. He learned about loading and unloading the gun and how to turn the safety on and off. Romeo had always been curious about how things worked, so it was a surprisingly fun learning experience.

“Keep your eye on the target, Vargas!” barked Ludwig in his deep, booming voice. It made Romeo flinch and he looked over his shoulder. “Not me, Vargas. Look at the target.”   


Romeo sighed shakily, locking his gaze on the point he wanted the bullet to hit. Romeo was only a beginner, so the target was much closer to him than some of the other people’s were at the range. Romeo wanted to close his eyes when he pulled the trigger, but he knew he couldn’t. He took his time and focused, aiming carefully before firing. The recoil always made him jolt. 

Ludwig stepped up beside him. Romeo hadn’t hit exactly where he was intending, but it was close and he heard Ludwig grunt softly with approval. He heaved out a sigh of relief. If Ludwig was pleased, he was pleased.

Oscar was surprised by Romeo’s diligence. In a way, this had become his new hobby. Gunslinger Romeo certainly beat mopey cabin fever Romeo, so he was glad for the change. For the next couple of months, all Romeo could seem to talk about were guns and Ludwig. According to Romeo, he was a rather good shot now after all of that practice. The nightmares hadn’t come up in a while and Oscar was genuinely glad that Romeo had found something to be passionate about; especially something that kept him from feeling paranoid at night.

One night, Oscar and Romeo had arranged a bit of a dinner party. The attendees would be Oscar’s family, Eliot, and Ludwig. While Ludwig was a bit of a new friend to the group, Romeo reasoned that he should be invited since Eliot was being allowed to join them for dinner. Up until this point, Oscar hadn’t actually met Ludwig in person, but he was excited. If Romeo liked him, Oscar was sure he would feel the same way.

Around eight o’clock on one foggy Saturday night, the apartment was alive with chatter. Eliot had arrived first, then Oscar’s family, and finally Ludwig. He was exactly how Romeo had described him, and Oscar greeted him with a firm handshake.

“Oscar Cooper,” He introduced himself with a charming smile, “I’m Romeo’s roommate. He talks about you a lot, you know.” He winked, causing Romeo to wince and let out a soft whine.

“Shut up, Oscar, it isn’t like that at all! You talk about Eliot plenty and you two are just friends.” Romeo huffed and grabbed Oscar by the arm, not catching the way Oscar’s gaze shifted to where Eliot was sitting on the couch. “Sorry, Ludwig, make yourself at home. Oscar and I have to go take the bread out of the oven!” With that, Romeo dragged Oscar into their tiny kitchen.

“Did I get the wrong impression?” asked Oscar as he pulled on an oven mitt, looking into the oven before pulling out the bread.

“Of course you did, you idiot! I’m married!” cried Romeo.

Oscar looked over his shoulder at the other man as he set the pan down on the kitchen counter. He sighed as he watched it cool down. “Look, Ro, they’ve already sealed off the borders to a lot of the western states. Don’t you think it’s maybe time to move on? Meet new people? You know, there are plenty of people here-” Oscar frowned when Romeo just stormed out of the kitchen.

Dinner that night was heaven. Despite their small quarrel, Romeo didn’t have a problem joking around and talking with Oscar and everyone else as they ate. Ludwig was rather quiet and seemed to be a bit awkward, so Romeo gave him an opening to talk. “Hey, Ludwig! How long have you been in Atlanta?”   


Ludwig looked up quickly and rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, not for too long. I’m not sure when I showed up exactly, but I was separated from my brother in Idaho. I got a job at the shooting range and ever since then things have been going fine.”   


Romeo could relate to Ludwig’s story, and he nodded slowly. “I lost- I was separated from- my husband. We lived in Nevada and I met Oscar on the way here.” He sighed heavily. “God- that was only a few months ago, but it feels like so much longer.”   


Oscar and his family all nodded in agreement. They couldn’t fathom what it was like to lose somebody forever, but the time the family had spent broken apart on the train ride to Atlanta was horrible. They had all been so worried about each other, but they knew that Romeo felt that tenfold. 

Romeo decided to redirect the conversation. “So, you’re from Idaho?” he asked with a smile. “You have a German accent, so I take it you weren’t born there. Why did you move?”   


“Potatoes,” said Ludwig as he put more mashed potatoes on his plate. 

Overall, the small party had been a success. It was fun listening to music and eating together. Romeo always loved sharing food with people close to him. He was a social butterfly and a party was the perfect thing to break him out of the mopey rut he had been in for so long. Combined with the now regular shooting lessons, Romeo was starting to get back to his old self.

On the outside, Romeo seemed to be content with his new life in Atlanta, but on the inside, he was ready to brave the apocalypse and go find Maverick. He didn’t know how long it would take, or when there would be an opening to do so, but he wouldn’t leave Maverick out there alone. He couldn’t leave Maverick no matter what. In their wedding vows, they promised to be together until death did them part and Romeo intended to keep that promise. He had to save his husband.


	7. The Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Romeo and Oscar prepare to execute Romeo's plans.

No amount of dwelling on the idea would make it a reality. It didn’t matter how many sleepless nights Romeo endured thinking of every way to go home. It didn’t matter how often he cried into his pillow or how often he turned off the news when he found out the virus was spreading farther and faster than ever. None of that mattered because the only thing that would change anything was to take action. If Romeo really, truly, wanted to go home to Maverick, he had to stop waiting. The clock was ticking and if Maverick died before Romeo could save him, that blood would be on his hands.

It had been nearly a year already since he had left Winnemucca, but he wasn’t a scared little boy anymore. He learned how to shoot a gun and he learned how to be stronger. He knew in his heart that he could do this. The hardest part would be bringing the idea up to Oscar.

The smell of coffee wafted around the apartment as the Australian man settled down on the sofa with his favorite coffee mug, looking over a fashion magazine and wrinkling his nose at the outfits that were clearly in poor taste. Romeo felt a bit awkward as he watched him, turning his head away while he poured his own cup of coffee.   


When his coffee was done, Romeo sat down beside his friend, setting his mug down on the coffee table. “Hey, Oscar? Do you have a second? I really need to talk with you.” Romeo sighed as he twiddled his thumbs, looking down at his lap. He felt a lump in his throat. He had rehearsed this conversation in the shower a million times, but it was always different in person. 

“Hm? Oh, sure!” Oscar smiled and closed the magazine, sliding it away from him on the table. Oscar crossed his legs and leaned against the arm of the sofa so he could make better eye contact with Romeo. It was poor form to look uninterested, after all. “What’s up, Ro?”   


“Well- it’s… kind of important. Um-” Romeo squirmed. 

“Yes? Go on!”   


“I’m leaving.” 

Silence fell upon the room like a sixteen ton weight, crushing them both. Oscar looked appalled and he set his coffee cup down next to Romeo’s.   


“Kind of important? _ Kind of? _ Romeo- what the hell are you on about?!” Oscar exclaimed, eyes wide. He wondered if he had done something to turn Romeo away. Was it what he had said about Ludwig? Surely not- and that was ages ago by now.

“Relax!” Romeo laughed awkwardly, waving his hands wildly. “It’s okay- I just- I’ve been thinking.” A heavy sigh escaped Romeo’s lips. He managed to meet Oscar’s eye. “I can’t live without Maverick anymore. I abandoned him and if he dies it’ll be all my fault. I know how to shoot a gun now, all I need is to make some preparations and then I’ve got to go find him. Please understand, Ozzie. It’s the only way I’ll get any kind of solace.”

“Ro,” Oscar started slowly in a soft tone of voice, “I know you want to go find him, but... they’ve closed off all of the states that’ve had a serious outbreak. How are you going to get past those barriers? You know they won’t let you in.”   


“I don’t know,” admitted Romeo with a shrug, “but I _ will _ find a way. I’m doing this if it kills me and there’s nothing you can do to stop me!”   


“Then- If you’re leaving, I’m going with you. I can’t let you do this alone. You’re my best friend, Ro.”   


Romeo was taken aback. He stared at Oscar blankly before speaking again. “What about your family? We don’t know what’s out there-”   


“ _ You’re _ my family too, Ro. You’re like a brother to me. You’re just as much of a brother to me as Kyle is. If you think for a second you can just run off and die you’re sorely mistaken. I’ll- I’ll call Eliot and let him know we’re going to stop renting as soon as you give me the word.”   


“Oscar, I appreciate it, I really do,” began Romeo, “but don’t you think that’s a bit of a rash decision?” 

Oscar gasped, “You’re calling  _ me _ rash? You’re the man who is about to go riding off into the sunset like some kind of hollywood cowboy, trip on his own shoelaces and fall face-first into a bush of poison ivy.”   


Romeo whined, “I wouldn’t do that! You’re the klutz.” 

Oscar laughed softly, staring off into space for a moment. If Romeo was truly going to brave the unknown like this, he couldn’t allow him to do it alone. It was too dangerous. Oscar knew that Kyle would do anything to keep him from leaving, but it wasn’t as if he could just let Romeo go off and die. He also knew that Kyle would demand to come along to keep them safe, but Kauri and Wendy needed Kyle more. After all that they had gone through just to come to Atlanta in the first place, Oscar couldn’t undo all of that.

“Ro,” he began in a gentle tone of voice, “if you’re serious about this I can’t let you go alone. We’ve survived side by side for almost a year now, I can’t possibly imagine my life without you. I know that I’ve got Kyle and the rest of my family, but I don’t have another Romeo. I’ll do anything for you, just give me the word, okay?”   


Romeo bit his lip and nodded slowly, his curly hair falling down into his face. He gently brushed his hair behind his ears, closing his eyes for a moment. He was terrified. He didn’t know what was out there, but he knew it wasn’t good. “You’re going to call Eliot?” He asked softly. 

Oscar sighed heavily and picked up his coffee, taking a sip. “I’ve gotta, and my family too. You know we can’t just disappear all of a sudden. Everybody would freak out. Besides, it would be awful of us to stay as one of Eliot’s tenants and not even be here to pay the rent.”   


Romeo’s shiny green eyes seemed to pierce Oscar. There was an intensity in them that Oscar hadn’t seen for a while now. He was determined to find his husband if it killed him. Maverick was his purpose and his reason to live. Oscar had never experienced such feelings before, but he could tell that they fueled Romeo like a roaring fire. 

The two men couldn’t leave right away. However eager Romeo was, they just weren’t ready to start a journey all the way across the country. They spent the next few months saving up money. There was no telling what they would find in a zombie wasteland after a year and they knew it would be better to be safe than sorry. They needed the cash to make their preparations and optimize their probability of survival.

The first thing on their list wasn’t a problem at all. They bought canned foods in bulk. Romeo always felt amazed whenever he opened the pantry and saw the boxes stacked high. Cases upon cases of bottled water had been bought over time and Romeo prayed it would be enough to sustain the two of them for however long they were out in the apocalyptic hellscape that had become over half of the United States by now.

Although food and water had been easy enough to obtain, the second thing on their list of preparations was much harder to secure. Romeo still remembered the absolute shock on Ludwig’s face when Romeo asked him so innocently what type of gun would be best for taking down a person. After reassuring Ludwig he wasn’t going to murder anybody, he admitted his true reason for asking. At that moment, Romeo swore he could’ve seen a tear in the man’s eye before he wiped at his face and huffed. Ludwig knew he couldn’t stop Romeo from leaving, so all he said was that a hunting rifle, while maybe not the most optimal weapon, would likely do fairly well. Romeo hugged him tightly and was surprised when he felt Ludwig’s crushing embrace in return.

Most of the money he and Oscar had saved up went towards that gun and all of the ammunition that went with it. Luckily, Romeo didn’t need to wait on obtaining a gun license because he had already applied right before taking lessons with Ludwig. Just when they were almost done with gathering everything they seemed to have been needing for their trip, the very last thing on the list seemed to be the only thing holding them back: transportation.

Romeo and Oscar, living in such a big city, had been using public transportation for a while now. There was no way that the two of them, even when they pooled their resources, would be able to afford a car. They needed one that would handle rough terrain or whatever else hell on Earth would throw at it and that kind of vehicle was way out of their budget.

Romeo collapsed on the sofa, groaning into the pillow. “It’s just a big wagon why is it so fucking expensive?”   


Oscar’s eyebrows shot up. It was a rare occurrence to hear Romeo use such foul language and it never ceased to surprise him every single time. He carefully sat down beside his friend, stroking his hair gently. “Now, Ro, don’t get all worked up. We’re almost there, aren’t we? After all we’ve been through, this is nothing. I’m sure we’ll find something. Like- like a used car!”   


“Stupid-” came Romeo’s voice, muffled by the pillow, “we already looked at all of those and they’re too expensive.” He groaned again and rolled over, staring up at Oscar. “Eliot likes you. Can’t you just ask him to give us a car?”   


Oscar scoffed. “Certainly not!”   


“Why? Can’t you just ask? It wouldn’t hurt anything if he said yes; and I know he’d say yes.” Romeo frowned, burying his head back into the cushion. 

“Ro, I’m sure we can find a car another way. And we will get through this, I mean it. We’re going to find that husband of yours, okay?”   


Romeo hesitated for a long time before he nodded slowly. “Yeah. Okay.”   


Their hunt for a car stretched on until one day they were hit with an insane stroke of luck. Oscar and Romeo were returning to the bus stop with that week’s groceries when they came upon a lot full of used cars. There was an old pickup truck there listed for eight hundred dollars. It was dingy and the bumper looked like it was going to fall off at any moment. It was perfect. It was cheap, but they had confirmed that it ran and that was all they needed to know. 

“I can’t believe we bought a truck!” Squealed Romeo as they ate dinner that night.   


Oscar rolled his eyes, “You call _ that _ piece of shit a truck?”   


“So… are you calling Eliot?”   


“Why would I?”   


“We’re leaving tomorrow.”   


Oscar looked up at Romeo abruptly, eyes wide in shock. “So soon?”   


Romeo turned his head away and sighed. “Each day we spend here is a day Maverick might be fighting for his life. We need to get up early and leave as soon as possible. I want to make good use of the daylight and we’re going to need to make sure we’re covering ground.”   


Oscar hadn’t expected Romeo to want to get started on this whole rescue mission thing so quickly. After all they had been through, all of this preparation started to feel a bit like a game. Oscar had almost forgotten what it was that they had been working toward all this time. He looked down at his plate, spearing a piece of food with his fork. “I’ll call Eliot after dinner.”   


When they had finished eating, Oscar went to his room. He could hear Romeo’s soft humming from the kitchen as he washed their dishes in the sink. His hands shook as he dialed Eliot’s number on his phone, listening to it ring as he waited for the other man to pick up on the other line. He closed his eyes for a second, jolting when he heard Eliot’s voice.   


“Ah- Hallo?”   


“Oh! Hey, Eliot, it’s me, um- Oscar,” he said, trying to sound cheery. “I just... had to tell you something.”   


“Oh, and what would that be?” Eliot’s voice was alive with playful flirtation that always made Oscar’s cheeks redden even though he knew it really didn’t mean anything at all. 

“Listen, Eliot-” Oscar swallowed thickly. “I’m really sorry to put this on you all of a sudden but Romeo and I can’t rent from you anymore. Something came up and we have to leave.”   


Eliot was silent for a few seconds. Those seconds seemed to stretch out into hours and the phone almost slipped in Oscar’s loose grip. Eliot’s tone of voice when he spoke again tore right through Oscar’s heart. “What…?” His voice was barely a whisper. “You’re leaving? What’s wrong? Is it my fault? Is-”   


“Eliot, Eliot! No, no no no, listen to me. Shush. It’s got nothing to do with you. Romeo and I will just be out of state for a little while. I don’t know how long it’s going to be or when we’re going to be back, so- so I’m calling to tell you that we want to stop renting. We’re leaving a lot behind in the apartment, too. We can’t take that much with us, do whatever you’d like with it.”   


“I don’t understand. Where in the world are you going? And why? Oscar, why didn’t you tell me sooner? What’s wrong? I can tell something is off! Please talk to me-”   


“I can’t, I really wouldn’t want to worry you.”   


“I’m worried about you anyway. Can’t we discuss this over lunch tomorrow?”   


Oscar sighed. “I won’t be here tomorrow. I’m really sorry for not telling you sooner, I just didn’t think we’d be leaving so early…” 

“Ozzie, at least tell me where you’re going.”   


Oscar raised his voice a little bit. “Eliot! I told you no. We’re leaving and that’s that. Please just drop it. I’m sure you’ll find new tenants, especially after Romeo and I fixed the apartment up so nicely. We’ll leave this month’s rent here for you on the kitchen table, come pick it up whenever you’d like, I’ll leave the keys under the doormat.” 

When Oscar suddenly expressed something akin to anger, Eliot quieted down. “I know I’ll get other tenants,” he said softly, “but they won’t be you.”   


“Now’s really not the time for this,” Oscar mumbled. 

“When else would be the time for this? Can’t I at least say goodbye?”   


“You’re saying it now.”   


“Will I see you again? You make it sound like you’re not coming back.” Eliot’s voice had lowered to a soft whimper, quivering on each syllable. 

Oscar didn’t know what else to say aside from the truth. “I don’t know, Eliot. Thank you for everything, it really does mean the world to me. If I come back-”   


“When you come back.”   


“ _ When _ I come back, let’s go get lunch, okay?”   


Eliot sighed softly “Okay, Ozzie. I’ll wait for you. I-”   


Oscar pulled the phone away from his ear and hung up before he heard what Eliot said. He _ knew _ what Elot had been about to say, but he knew he couldn’t bear to hear it. It would only make this that much worse. 

When his eyes welled up with tears, he quickly rubbed at his eyes. He dropped the phone onto his bed and took a deep breath before heading back out into the living room. Why had that been so difficult? He knew it would be hard, but that had almost been unbearable. 

He looked across the room when Romeo returned from washing the dishes. “Did you call him?” asked the Italian with his usual smile.   


“Yeah, I did.” 

“What’d he say?”   


“He said it’s fine.”   


“So, we’re leaving tomorrow.”   


“Yeah, tomorrow.” 


	8. Que Sera, Sera

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eliot shows up unexpected and Oscar is faced with a dilemma.

It was dark outside. Romeo and Oscar woke up long before the sun would make its appearance. As promised, Oscar had left the key to their little apartment underneath the doormat. Romeo was already walking down the flights of stairs, arms full of supplies, to go down to their truck. The entire thing felt so surreal.   


Oscar sighed as he heaved containers full of canned foods and bottled water into the truck’s cargo bed. That wasn’t the only thing they were bringing along, though. Romeo had also put in a portable radio and some batteries just so that they had some kind of connection to the outside world. Among those supplies were other things such as a lighter, a knife, extra ammo for Romeo’s rifle, a couple of canisters of gasoline, and a few blankets. 

When they were finally finished loading everything into the back of the truck, Oscar carefully put a tarp over it and tied it all down. They didn’t want anyone else to see what was hidden beneath it for fear of robbery.

Although the extra ammunition was stored in the back of the truck, Romeo had insisted on keeping his rifle up front in the passenger seat with him. He reasoned that if anyone, or anything, ambushed them they wouldn’t have time to be fooling around with the tarp to get the gun. Oscar decided that was smart and allowed it.

“Wow!” Romeo gasped as he stared at their run-down vehicle. “That was a ton of stuff, huh?” He placed his hands on his hips, shifting his weight onto one leg as he looked at what had taken them so much preparation thus far.

The moment was bittersweet for Oscar as he stood there in silence. He was turning to a new chapter in his life and he didn’t know quite what to think. Romeo’s childlike wonder and excitement never left him but Oscar felt a sinking feeling in his chest. He was doing this for Romeo and he knew that, but he didn’t know what they would find out there. What if Maverick was dead? What if they didn’t make it? What if this was all for nothing? A soft “Yeah,” was all he could manage to say.   


“Well, I dunno how long it’ll be until this truck breaks down for good, so let’s get going!” chirped Romeo as he opened the door to the passenger seat and started to climb in. He halted when a fancy car swerved dangerously into the parking lot.   


Oscar and Romeo watched in bewilderment as the car careened to a stop, parked sloppily across two parking spaces. The driver didn’t even cut the engine before he got out of the car, walking in rapid, long strides over to Oscar and Romeo. It was none other than Eliot. His hair was a tangled mess and he was still in his pajamas, every bit of him an unkempt mess.   


“Eliot?” gasped Oscar in surprise. “What in the world?”   


“Oscar! Oscar please, please don’t do this!” The landlord begged, “You’re going to get yourself killed out there! Don’t go-”   


Oscar cut him off. “Eliot... You know I can’t do that. If you came to ask if you could go too, the answer to that is no. Absolutely not. Romeo and I’ve only got enough supplies for two people.”   


“I couldn’t go with you even if I wanted to,” admitted Eliot, glancing away, “I’ve got tenants to take care of and I can’t just drop it all. I just came to see if maybe I could talk you out of it. Please, Oscar, there’s so much left we’ve got to do.”   


Romeo spoke up. “Sorry, Eliot. You’re our friend but we’ve been prepping for this for too long to just brush it all aside. Oscar and I are leaving and that’s final! We aren’t renting from you anymore, so you can’t tell us what to do.”   


Eliot looked absolutely stunned. There was a fire burning like the flames of hell in Romeo’s eyes and it was a look he had never seen before. Romeo’s expression was one of utmost determination. He wouldn’t be able to stop him. 

“Romeo,” said Oscar, seeming to be at least half as stunned as Eliot, “I’ve never seen you like this before!”   


“I’m tired of being pushed around. I’m taking control of my own life now. If you want to stay here with him that’s fine but you can’t stop me from leaving. I know you thought this past year was hell, but you can’t even begin to imagine what it was for me. My biggest regret is not doing this sooner.” Romeo climbed fully into the passenger seat and slammed the door, laying his gun down on the seat beside him. He crossed his arms. 

Eliot continued to plead softly for Oscar to stay but it wasn’t enough. No amount of pleading would convince him. Oscar  _ wanted _ to stay, he really did, but he had to go with Romeo. He wasn’t about to let Romeo do this on his own.

“I told you already,” mumbled Oscar, “if- no- when I come back we’re going out to lunch. I’ll see you then.” Oscar couldn't bear to watch as Eliot’s heart broke in front of him, and wished he could say something, anything to make this situation better. However, he knew there was nothing he could do about it anymore. He had been promising this to Romeo for ages and he always kept his word. “Bye, Eliot. I’ll see you soon.”

“How will I know?” demanded the other man, running a hand through his uncombed hair. “How can I be sure you’re coming back?”

Oscar leaned in to kiss Eliot’s cheek tenderly before pulling away. “Que sera, sera.”

From the car, Romeo watched Oscar and Eliot exchange a few more hushed words and then embrace tightly for a short moment. He glanced away, feeling like he was watching something he shouldn’t be.

When Oscar climbed into the driver’s seat, closing the door, Romeo turned his head to look over at him, smiling softly. “Thanks, Ozzie. This means the world to me.”   


The Australian offered a hesitant, sad smile as he turned on the engine to the old truck and placed his hands on the steering wheel. He glanced to the side, where he could see Eliot standing on the sidewalk looking utterly broken and terrified. Quickly, he turned his gaze forwards again. He was _ not _ about to cry. Gripping the steering wheel tightly, Oscar reminded himself that it just wasn’t meant to be; and that they both knew that. He had a funny feeling, though. If this determination that lit a thousand flames in Romeo’s heart pulled him so strongly to Maverick, maybe Oscar would eventually find his way back to Eliot.

As they pulled out of the parking lot and onto the road, Oscar knew Eliot was watching them.

After all that had happened it was hard to tell what was even real anymore. Atlanta’s streets were beautiful in the dark. It was a bit eerie, but there was something oddly calming about all of the street lamps and the lights that lined the underside of bridges. Lights from apartment buildings, skyscrapers, and businesses seemed to glitter in the early morning and it eased the feelings of being completely and utterly alone. Somewhere, even at hours like these, other people were awake and going through their day as usual.

Romeo yawned as he slumped in his seat, listening to the rush of the other cars on the highway all around them. “I didn’t know you and Eliot were like that…” he grumbled, groggy and fading in and out of sleep. He pulled his legs up onto the seat and curled in on himself.

Oscar frowned and bit his lip, looking over at Romeo when they hit a red light. “Eliot and I aren’t like anything!” he scoffed, turning his nose up a bit. “We’re- We’re just friends. That’s all. We’re just really, really good friends.”   


“Why are you lying, Ozzie?” Romeo frowned, rolling over to rest his chin on the console between them. “You kissed him on the cheek.”   


“In Italy don’t you kiss people like that all the time?”   


“Well, yeah, but still. That was different. I saw how you were hugging-”   


Oscar closed his eyes and sighed heavily before Romeo prompted him to start driving again when the light turned green. “I’m lying because it hurts, Ro. It hurts more than anything in the world. And anyway, it’s not- it wouldn’t be healthy. There’s a power imbalance between Eliot and I. In a relationship where money is being exchanged, there isn’t any room for romance. Maybe if the situation had been different. I don’t know.”   


“Why didn’t you tell me about it? I thought we told each other everything.”   


“I tell you everything that matters.” 

“This matters.”   


“Does not.”   


“Does too.”   


“Doesn’t.”   


“Does.”   


Oscar huffed and, to end the petty argument, just attempted to turn on the radio. When that didn’t work, he settled for seeing if there were any CDs in the car. He managed to find the case of one that had been left from the previous owner but it was empty. Out of curiosity, Romeo turned on the CD player. To the surprise of both of them, a song started playing. 

“A Wham! CD?” asked Oscar incredulously.

“Oh, that’s who it is?” Romeo said as he pressed the eject button. He frowned when it didn’t work and tried again to no avail. That was all right, he supposed. Once they got to the end of the album it would probably just stop.

Once the song  _ Wake me up before you Go-Go _ ended, they both expected the CD to go to the next track. It wasn’t in particularly good shape, though, seeing as how the audio had been a bit distorted. It just replayed the same track again.   


This was fun at first. After the first three replays, Romeo and Oscar knew enough of the words to sing along a little bit. Romeo rolled down the window and felt the chilly morning air on his face as the music filled the car. On the seventh rewind, they were getting a little bit sick of it. On the eleventh, Romeo started screaming into a pillow they had brought along every time the song started to play again. 

“I can’t take this anymore!” he cried after failing to both eject the disc and turn off the CD player. “That’s it- I’m going to sleep, wake me up-”   


“-before you Go-Go?” finished Oscar with a grin. Romeo just hit him with the pillow and Oscar shrieked as the car swerved a little. “You’re gonna kill us!”   


“Is that really so bad? This song is driving me nuts!” Romeo huffed. When he and Oscar got over their shock of almost causing a wreck, they both burst out into a fit of laughter. “Okay, I’m going to take a nap. Wake me up when it’s my turn to drive.”   


The sun had started to rise by now and Oscar felt Wham! fading slowly into the rest of the noise around him. He had never gotten to just drive around Atlanta like this before. Although they were headed to Alabama, it would still be at least two hours worth of driving through Georgia before they made it across the border. Oscar checked on Romeo in the passenger seat, smiling when he saw him still fast asleep. He was beginning to feel a bit tired himself and knew that it would be time to hand the wheel over to Romeo. 

When the truck began to run low on gas, they had about one more hour left of driving until they reached Alabama. They were way out of Atlanta now and more so in the middle of nowhere than anything else. Oscar pulled into a gas station and shook Romeo gently. Romeo grumbled and swatted at Oscar’s hands. When he heard Wham! still playing on repeat he groaned. “Oh, so it wasn’t a nightmare.” He sat up and looked around. “Hey? Ozzie? Where are we?”   


Oscar shrugged. “In the middle of nowhere. I’ve been driving for… an hour, I think. We need to refill on gas and then I think it’ll be my turn to take a nap and be temporarily relieved of listening to this god-awful song anymore.”   


“Aw,” whined Romeo like an upset little kid, “but I _ liked _ being blissfully unaware!”

“Uh huh. Okay. Yeah, well, while you fill the car up I’m gonna go get us some snacks. I think it’d be best for us to buy food for as long as we can to preserve the other stuff. Is there anything you want?”

Romeo smiled and nodded. “Gummy bears?”   


“Yeah, all right.”   


Romeo watched as Oscar got out of the car with his wallet and ran inside. Romeo stayed behind to refill the tank with gasoline. He could see Oscar walking around the gas station from the window and he sighed softly. Even though he’d only been up for a few minutes, the CD player still made him wish Oscar had driven them off a bridge. 


End file.
